New Booster Vaccine Option for Adults
Wednesday February 11, 2009
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Adults are susceptible to pertussis, because the immunity from childhood pertussis vaccines wears off after five to 10 years. This bacterial respiratory infection causes coughing spasms that can last longer than 100 days and be so intense that individuals can fracture ribs or develop a hernia. Less severe symptoms include vomiting and cold-like symptoms.
Symptoms can be reduced by self-medication with over-the-counter cough remedies, making pertussis diagnosis difficult. Since it’s highly contagious and spread by airborne droplets, close contacts are at risk for contracting pertussis. The infection can be life-threatening for unvaccinated infants and individuals who are immunosuppressed. Transmission from adults to unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children is especially common.
Contraindications: Contraindications to Tdap vaccination include allergy to any vaccine components and history of encepatholopathy or seizures associated with pertussis vaccination. Extreme caution is urged if prior tetanus vaccination was associated with subsequent Guillain Barré Syndrome.
Injection site pain, headache, and fatigue are the most commonly reported adverse events reported with Boostrix.
Caution: Review current drug information before administering and monitoring medications.
Drug News is compiled by Susanne J. Pavlovich-Danis, RN, MSN, ARNP-C, CDE, CRRN, who maintains a private practice in Plantation, Fla., and is professor and area chair for nursing at the University of Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale.
